We began our Missouri adventures at George Washington Carver National Monument. We went in expecting to learn more about the "Peanut Man" and were pleasantly surprised by the incredible life that this man led. From being raised as a slave at the end of the Civil War to teaching individuals how to become self-sustaining, G.W. Carver made a difference in the lives of others. It was simply by chance and an itch for adventure that we were able to learn more about his life, principles, and practice.
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| on the carver trail |
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| on the carver trail |
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| george washington carver |
After leaving Diamond, we drove to Van Buren where we settled in for a couple of days at Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Our time in Van Buren was filled with trips to Big Spring, exploring the few trails that were available, riding our bikes, and floating on the Current River. We had a great campsite, even if a tree branch did find its way through our rainfly and tent one afternoon while we were out exploring. With a little bit of duct tape and seam sealer we made a patch that kept the rain out; with some packing tape we made a patch that kept the bugs out. It was a great couple of days and we fell in love with Missouri.
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| nothing a little duct tape won't fix |
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| floating on the current |
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| big spring |
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| big spring |
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| big spring |
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| butterflies were everywhere |
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| big spring in action (13,000 liters per second) |
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| everyone needs a good accidental photo |
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| something in-between a trail run and a hike |
Our time in Missouri did come at the end of our summer grad school course, and so we did need to spend one day putting adventure on hold (for the most part). We found a great little public library in Farmington where we wrote our final papers for the summer. Then we found that we could squeeze a little adventure into the day and drove up to St. Louis for a trip to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. We ended what began as a subdued day in the library with a trip 630 feet up into the arch and with a walk through the Museum of Westward Expansion.
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| the arch |
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| us outside of the arch |
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| a long way up |
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| us inside of the arch |
With nighttime upon us, we began our drive to the next adventure. Nighttime driving inevitably means a night in the car as opposed to the tent, but once again, it means we're up and moving first thing in the morning. Check back soon for our adventures in Ohio!
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